Bus users facing travel chaos as Stagecoach and Arriva drivers set to strike

UPDATE - Stagecoach workers have now called off two days of planned strikes - http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/news/southport-west-lancs/two-out-four-days-strike-13753005

Bus passengers are facing three days of chaos this month with workers from Arriva and Stagecoach planning to strike at the same time.

It’s the latest development in what’s been a tough month for local travellers. The RMT union has only recently held two days of strike action on Merseyrail, as the row over guards’ roles on trains continues, and is likely to announce more action.

Engineers and drivers at Stagecoach’s Liverpool depot had already confirmed they would walk out for four days this month, starting on Saturday, in a row over pay.

But unions Unite and the GMB have now confirmed that their members at Arriva across the whole North West will strike on three of the same days as Stagecoach staff – on Thursday, October 19, Monday, October 23, and Monday, October 30.

Unless the dispute is resolved, most buses across Merseyside won’t run on those days. In the wider region, Stagecoach buses would still run in Wirral and Cheshire, but many Arriva buses would face cancellation.

Last month, Arriva said it had offered staff a final pay offer of 2.3%, rising to 2.6% after 9 months, but that drivers had still chosen to ballot over industrial action.

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Yesterday, Phil Stone, regional managing director for Arriva in the North West, told the Liverpool Echo: “We can confirm that Unite and GMB have balloted for strike action over pay.

“The potential strike dates have been confirmed as 19th, 23rd and 30th October 2017.

“However there is a further meeting planned this week with our union colleagues to have further dialogue over the outcome of this vote and to try and reach an agreement that benefits everybody.”

Stagecoach Merseyside managing director Rob Jones said the company would run as many services as possible during the strike action.

He said: “I would like to reassure all customers that we are doing all we can to ensure that if this further strike action does go ahead, we will be in a position to draft in extra resource and run more services and do what we can to minimise the impact on passengers who rely on our services.”

He added: “The union’s demands during the latest round of negotiations were completely unrealistic and we are very disappointed that they have chosen this course of action, which is not in the best interests of our employees or our customers. We believe the offers we have made are fair and reasonable.”

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This Saturday Stagecoach plans to focus on its football services. Mr Jones said: “We will be meeting our commitments to police and other partners to provide as many services as we can to the Liverpool/Manchester United football match, in the knowledge that most people travelling on our wider network will be able to use services provided by other operators as an alternative.

“As such, the main services on Saturday will be covering the 917 and 20/21 routes and these may be subject to delays at busy times.

GMB and Unite were approached for comment.

The RMT has not yet set any future Merseyrail strike dates.

Any decision on dates would be made by that union’s national executive as the union is now in dispute with five different train companies around the UK over guards.